


You are the best thing (that's ever been Mine)

by weonlyliveonce



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Fluffy, Naueseating, Oliver has a son, cuddly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-19
Updated: 2014-08-19
Packaged: 2018-02-13 19:27:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2162301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weonlyliveonce/pseuds/weonlyliveonce
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Before Felicity Smoak falls in love with Oliver Queen, she falls in love with his son, Connor Queen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You are the best thing (that's ever been Mine)

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so there are a couple of disclaimers I need to make before you read this.
> 
> One, it'd A/U! Clearly, it's A/U, 'cause Oliver isn't a vigilante and they're all a little OOC. Two, I know pretty much zilch about daycare in America. As an Australian, I got really confused when trying to figure it out. So if there are inaccuracies or you find it vague, please, forgive me. Two, I know Oliver has a son with Sandra Hawke and I know that his names, Connor but for the sake of the story, his names Connor Queen. 
> 
> In other words, I'm ill informed but I thought this story was cute! Also, it's insanely long. Like, insanely long. This could have been a multi-chapter but I don't have the energy to write a multi-chapter, at the moment. So this is what happens. I'm actually sort of nervous about posting this just because it is so long and, I don't know, you know when you like something but have no idea if someone else will? 
> 
> That's pretty much what's happening.
> 
> So, please, suspend what you know and enjoy this little piece of fiction I've dreamed up. Also, lyrics are taken from the wonderfully talented Taylor Swift, so I don't own them. :)
> 
> But anyway, I hope you enjoy it and, as I said before, please excuse the inaccuracies.

Before Felicity Smoak falls in love with Oliver Queen, she falls in love with his son.

Connor Queen had come to the childcare center she worked at as a shy, introverted little boy who didn't say much and kept to himself.

Felicity had fallen in love with him on the spot.

He was this small, sandy blond boy with intense blue eyes who watched everything and everyone carefully. His eyes measuring whether or not he could trust them and the other children as he ascertained whether they really wanted him around.

It was, truthfully, adorable.

So, on the first day she met him, Felicity sat down next to him in the corner he kept to during playtime and offered him the book she was holding.

He eyed her suspiciously and then accepted the book.

"Hi Connor, my name's Felicity. I work here sometimes." She tells him and he nods. "I thought maybe you and I could read this until play time's over?"

Once again, he only nods and Felicity gently takes the book back off him and opens it, clearing her throat a little as she begins to read about where the wild things are.

Connor listens with a serious look on his face and doesn't interrupt, at all. When she finishes, he looks at her and, very seriously, asks her if they can read it again.

It's about then that she falls in love with him.

Any child who loves _Where the Wild Things Are_ is bound to earn her love.

* * *

It becomes routine.

Whenever Felicity is working during playtime, she and Connor would sit in a corner and read books.

He turned out to have a genuine appreciation for Dr Seuss and, Felicity discovered, he loved any story to do with animals.

As she read, Connor would sit quietly beside her and not say anything, listening intently as she lost her breath over long sentences passages in _Oh, the Places You'll Go_ and made funny voices for all of the characters in _Winnie the Pooh_.

It was fun and slowly, Felicity watched as Connor began to open himself up to the rest of his day care and to her.

"My Daddy does the funny voices." He tells her one day, sounding serious. "He reads me two stories every night before I go to bed."

Felicity smiles at that.

"Every night? What about your mommy?" She asks, teasingly and Connor shrugs, looking away from her.

"My mommy didn't want to read me bed time stories." He tells her seriously, too seriously, and Felicity wonders about it. "But my Uncle Tommy and Uncle Digg do when Daddy can't, sometimes."

She wonders about his words enough to ask Jane, her supervisor at the end of the day when they're cleaning up and prepping for the next. The answer Jane gives surprises her.

"From what I know, the mother upped and left him with the father, came back and challenged for custody for the child support she thought she was entitled to. The Queens are worth a lot of money and she wanted a slice." Jane shrugs a little, though her disgust for the mother is evident. "The father, Oliver, won the case and all but eliminated her from his sons life. From what I know now, he's trying to give him as much stability as possible because it affected him a lot."

Felicity is a little shocked by what Jane's just told her. She's unable to comprehend a mother doing that to her child and, really, she can't comprehend anyone doing that for something as inconsequential as _money_.

"Wow. I wouldn't have guessed." She says, holding paintbrushes that need cleaning.

Jane shrugs. "It was all over the news last year. Mr Queen has spent a lot of money since then keeping Connor out of the papers. He's doing a pretty good job too. Both with keeping him out of the papers and with Connor."

It's high praise coming from Jane, Felicity thinks. Really high praise because Jane is insanely judgmental of the parents who leave their children under her care. It makes her a good worker and someone the kids love but sometimes, her judgments spill out when it's better if they don't.

So, if Jane is praising Connor's father, then he must be doing something right.

It makes Felicity curious about the man who's raising the little boy she reads to when she's here.

* * *

Felicity doesn't have to wait long for her curiosity to be satisfied.

Oliver Queen shows up early the next week to pick up his son for a long weekend. Up until that point, whenever he'd come to pick up Connor, Felicity had been preoccupied with other children or out the back, preparing food for the snacks the children who stayed past four o'clock inevitably needed.

So it's a shock when Connor races past where she's standing, his entire face lit up in a beaming smile to the entrance of the building.

She turns in time to see him be caught and thrown in the air by a man whose expression matches Connors.

This, Felicity thinks, must be Oliver Queen.

In no way was she prepared for him to be so good looking.

He sets Connor back on the ground, running a hand over his head as he straightens and Felicity has to amend her thought.

In no way was she prepared for Connor's father to be both good looking and _built_.

He's a tall man and Connor shares his blue eyes, hair color and bone structure. What Connor doesn't share is the five o'clock shadow, the broad shoulders and the height of his father. Then again, Connor is only four, Felicity figure he'll go through a growth spurt and be just as tall.

Probably not as muscled though.

His father obviously works out.

Coughing, Felicity wonders what she's supposed to do because Jane's occupied with a tantrum and she's usually the one who handles the parents and signing the children out.

Her decision is taken completely out of her hands when Connor grabs her father's hand and pulls him towards her.

"F'licity. This is Daddy." Connor tells her, his eyes sparkling but his tone just as serious. Felicity can't help but smile at him.

"Hi, I'm Felicity." She keeps her smile firmly in place as she meets Connor's father's gaze and finds him watching her with both interest and warmth.

"Oliver. It's great to finally put a face to the name." He offers her his hand and Felicity hesitates before taking it.

There's definitely a zing when she makes contact.

It snakes up her arm and Felicity feels her cheeks grow warm as she realizes it's a visceral response to this attractive man holding her hand.

Oliver's eyeing her with a lot more than warmth and interest now and Felicity wonders if he felt it too.

"T-thanks. You have an awesome son." She replies belatedly and they both glance down at Connor, who's watching the two of them intently.

Felicity wonders what's going through his head.

Before she can ask, Oliver squeezes her hand gently and drops it, grinning down at Connor and touching his shoulder gently.

"Alright buddy, you'd better get your things because Uncle Tommy and Uncle Digg are waiting for us to get this camping trip on the road." Oliver tells him and Connor nods, taking off to get his backpack. "Uh, Felicity, I just want to thank you for whatever you're doing with Connor. He's, well, he's happier. It means a lot." Oliver says to her, looking at her seriously and Felicity nods.

She's stunned because Oliver Queen may have been attractive thirty seconds ago but he's just shot beyond attractive because she can see, clearly, how deeply he loves Connor.

Felicity isn't sure what she's supposed to do, so she nods and clears her throat, feeling the blush spreading.

Out of the corner of her Felicity sees Jane disentangle herself from the little girl who'd had the tantrum and begin to make her way over to where they're standing.

Seeing it as an opportunity to escape, Felicity offers Oliver a half smile, sure her face is still red and then tells Connor to have a good weekend before escaping to the group of children playing with blocks.

Jane raises an eyebrow at her and Felicity decides that her curiosity about Connor's father is satisfied.

For now, anyway.

* * *

Connor is quieter than usual the next week.

He'd answered her questions about the camping trip fairly enthusiastically but he didn't seem to want to talk to her between books the way he usually did.

He appears to be thinking seriously about something and when Felicity finishes _The Lorax_ , he turns to her with a determined expression in his face.

"Did you like my Daddy?" He demands and Felicity is startled for a moment.

She hadn't expected that to come out of his mouth.

"Um, yes, Connor. I did like your Daddy." She tells him because it's basically true.

She was certainly attracted to him, anyway.

"Good." Connor nods once and then asks for another book.

Felicity puts the question down to a weird child thing and begins reading the new book. Connor listens intently for a few seconds before interrupting her, something he does so rarely it makes Felicity blink at him.

"My Daddy liked you." He tells her. "He said you had pretty hair."

Felicity feels her face heat at his words and knows she's blushing. She clears her throat, chooses not to say anything and starts to read again.

Connor doesn't interrupt her again, so Felicity decides to not think about the information he's imparted.

For all she knows, Connor could have misheard his father.

* * *

Felicity knows Connor hadn't misheard his father when she runs into the two of them at the grocery store near the center.

"F'licity! F'licity! Hello!" Connor waves frantically at her from his seat in the shopping cart and his father's head whips around to stare at her.

Felicity blushes slightly at the look in Oliver's eyes, the flare of interest she recognizes and offers him a small smile before widening it for Connor.

"Hello Connor. What are you guys doing?" She asks, holding her basket in front of her, almost like a shield.

"We're shopping!" Connor answers and grins widely in return.

Felicity is struck by how different he is outside of childcare. Where she's used to his serious face and careful answers, this new side of Connor seems supremely unconcerned with thinking through his answers and smiles that much more readily.

Felicity has no doubt it's because of his father.

"Hello, Felicity. It's nice to see you again." Oliver smiles at her too, only a little half-smile though, as if trying to temper his sons enthusiasm.

"Hello, Mr. Queen." She replies and winces a little at her formality.

His half-smile widens. "Oliver. Mr. Queen is my father. You've left the center earlier than usual."

Felicity startles a little at the observation. "Er, yes. There were only a few things to do so Jane let me off early. And I, ah, needed to get some groceries. Food is scarce at my place right now."

Oliver nods, throwing the packet of spaghetti in the shopping cart and glancing down at Connor. Who's watching the two of them steadily, as if waiting for something other than idle conversation.

"You could always wait another day and have dinner with us, if you'd like." Oliver offers with a wink in Connor's direction. "Connor's been asking about it for weeks now."

Felicity is stunned by the invitation and can do nothing but stare at Oliver and Connor, who are both watching her intently, waiting for her answer. Connor looks so hopeful and Oliver, well, Oliver looks just as interested.

Felicity is intrigued by his interest and flattered and, well, she's interested too.

How is she supposed to say no to them?

"I guess, as long as it's alright – " She begins to agree tentatively and is cut of by Connor's squeal of delight.

Oliver doesn't squeal; his half-smile just becomes a smile.

* * *

Oliver lives up to Jane's praise over dinner.

Felicity simply falls even more in love with Connor as the little boy comes alive with his father around and Oliver responds in kind, patiently talking to his son, answering his many questions and laughing with Connor as he makes dinner.

They live in a simple two story house, open plan living on the bottom and a playroom, Connor's room and Oliver's on the second floor. It's tastefully decorated and Connor attributes that to Oliver's sister, his Aunt Thea.

There's signs of Connor all over the house and Felicity can't help but enjoy her time with the two Queen men and when Connor passes out on the couch, exhausted from the excitement of having a guess for dinner, Felicity makes a move to leave.

As she stands, Oliver stands with her and reaches out to touch her arm.

"Stay. Please. For a glass of a wine." He implores, his eyes just as intent as his sons and Felicity nods slightly. "Let me put him down and I'll be right back down."

Before Felicity can really re-think her decision to stay or even come up with an excuse to leave, Oliver leans down to pick up Connor.

Her heart melts as Oliver settles him onto his shoulder, murmuring to Connor quietly as the little boy snuffles before snuggling into Oliver.

It looks like she's staying.

* * *

Oliver's wine turns out to be a 1982 bottle of Lafite Rothschilde and Felicity pretty much falls in love with the wine.

Oliver turns out to nearly be as good as the wine.

"So, tell me, Felicity Smoak, how did you end up in Starling City working at a daycare?" He asks, watching her steadily and she shrugs.

They're sitting on his couch, Felicity has tucked her legs up under her and is facing Oliver with the wine held securely against her chest. Oliver is looking at her intently, his arms resting on the top of the couch, facing her, his wineglass resting idly on his thigh.

"Well, that's an incredibly boring story full of clichés involving a bigger dream, a tragedy and ending with me in Starling City working at a daycare while juggling classes at SCU." Felicity tells him with a small smile and Oliver raises his eyebrows.

"Highlights, then." He says and Felicity wants to brush it off but he looks genuinely interested and she can't help but _want_ to tell him.

"So, highlights, I guess. I was originally headed for MIT for computer science. But then, well, my mom got sick and I chose to stay at in Las Vegas and look after her. While I was there, I worked in daycare to help with the bills. When she was well enough, I didn't think I would be able to get into MIT again, so I applied to a couple of other universities and got into SCU. Moved out here at twenty, and got a job about four years ago." Felicity smiles a little at his expression because it's so serious and she can see where Connor gets it.

Oliver nods his head after a second, raising his wineglass and taking a sip, as he seems to think about her story. Felicity forces herself not to fidget and then Oliver speaks.

"That's a lot more admirable than having no ambition, drinking a lot, accidentally getting someone pregnant and ending up with no clue, no job and a baby at twenty-four." Oliver says quietly.

Felicity takes a sip of her own wine and smiles tentatively at him over the rim of the glass.

"I don't know, I think you've done okay."

Oliver stares at her, seemingly in surprise. Obviously, that wasn't something he was used to hearing and Felicity holds his gaze.

He lets out a breath and then his mouth pulls up into the little half-smile.

"Connor's right, you do have a pretty smile."

Felicity blushes because she didn't expect him to say that.

And maybe, just maybe, her heart melts a little bit over Oliver Queen.

* * *

The next day, Felicity's heart is still melting over the two Queens.

She's setting up the drawing tables and trying to ignore the curious looks Jane is giving her because she's smiling and it's maybe a little dreamy.

As she straightens, she sees Connor walking towards her determinedly. He's clutching a bunch of daisies that look a little worse for wear and he stops in front her, holding up the flowers.

Felicity gently takes the flowers out of his stranglehold. "Hello Connor."

"Daddy says that he thinks you're very, very pretty." He tells her and Felicity tries very hard to not blush. "I told him that of _course_ you're very, very pretty but you're also really, really nice."

"Thank you, Connor. I think you're really nice too." She tells him and Connor grins up at her toothily, pleased with the praise.

"Daddy says to have dinner with us again." Connor informs her, clearly pleased with the idea and Felicity looks down at him. " _Please_. He said to say please."

Connor looks so hopeful, standing there with his eyes wide and excited and Felicity thinks that even the most hardened person in the world wouldn't be able to say no to this wide-eyed little boy.

Glancing up, she catches sight of Oliver watching their interaction and he gives her that half-smile.

Like, he knows exactly what he's doing.

Felicity wonders if she's going to stand a chance against the two of them as she blushes and forces herself to not run her hand over Connor's hair.

"Okay. We can have dinner again." She says and Connor's beaming smile and the way he turns to give Oliver a thumbs up nearly undoes her.

Felicity is pretty sure that she doesn't stand a chance against the two of them.

* * *

"So, we covered me, tell me about you. What do you do, Oliver?" Felicity asks.

They're on his lounge again, Connor fast asleep upstairs, both cradling a glass of 2000 Bordeaux and Oliver shrugs at her question.

"I work at a security company." He answers and then takes a deep breath. "After Sandra dumped Connor on me, I had a choice. I could ignore the fact that I had a son and go on as I was. Drinking every night and waking up in different beds the next morning or I could give it all up and give him the best childhood I could. I chose to give him a good childhood."

Felicity tilts her head a little, contemplating his words and the sentiment behind them.

"Why did you choose Connor?" She asks because she's curious and because she knows it'll tell her so much about this man sitting in front of her.

"Because I loved him. When I held him for the first time, it was different. I'd never really cared about something beyond me. But Connor, he was this squirming, screaming bundle and I had no idea what I was supposed to do with him and then he opened his eyes and stared straight at me and I just…I loved him. Instantly with everything in me and beyond that. I loved him enough to try. So I'm trying." Oliver seems to want to shrug it off, the choice he'd made and Felicity can't help but admire him.

It says so much about who Oliver Queen is and what he cares about. So much about a man who could have easily given up his son and had an easier life and instead chose to try, to do the one thing children always responded to. Oliver chose to love his son and Felicity knows she's in trouble.

Felicity's sure that falling in love with Oliver would be as easy as falling for Connor. Sort of an effortless slide that she doesn't realize is happening and if he keeps saying things like that, she has no doubt that she will.

Reaching up to the arm that's stretched out on the couch, Felicity squeezes his hand and then holds on.

"That's an incredible thing to do, Oliver. An _incredible_ thing to do."

Oliver stares at her and Felicity holds his gaze.

Slowly, his fingers move to intertwine with hers and Oliver gives her this soft smile and Felicity's breath catches in her throat.

It's like watching a whole new world open up to her in one smile.

Just watching that smile makes the slide into love that much quicker.

* * *

From that point on, Felicity finds she spends as much of her free time with the two Queens.

Connor greets her with clutches of strangled flowers and a toothy grin on odd days, asking to come with to dinner, to the park, to see the fishes in the big tanks. Oliver stands in the background, offering her half smiles and Felicity never says no.

So she goes with them to the park and the aquarium and on one memorably day, the beach. She helps make dinner and reads Connor stories before bedtime, marveling at the way the little boy snuggles into her side as she reads before his father carries him to bed.

Once he's in bed, Felicity finds herself talking to Oliver. Laughing with him, trading stories – some serious, some not so serious – sharing bits of herself with him in a way she'd never done before.

Oliver seems to be interested in everything she says and the closer they get, the more Felicity finds herself rambling on, encouraged because he never interrupts.

They share bottles of wine and late night phone calls on the days when she can't see them. He texts her during the day and the few times she's stressed herself out over assignments and readings, he comes over and makes her dinner, talking her down and relaxing her.

She learns even more about their life as she spends time with them. She learns that Connor loves his Aunt Thea, but his favorite people in the world are his Uncle Tommy and Uncle Digg. Uncle Tommy because he's funny and Uncle Digg because he knows how to do cool things and Oliver acknowledges that Connor's Uncles have had a big hand in raising the little boy.

She learns that Oliver works with Diggle, running a security company because it turned out that he has a head for tactics and the ability to charm clients. He enjoys his work and, he tells her one day, because it allows him to be home with Connor because he mostly works from his office.

From everything Felicity has seen, Oliver's life seems to revolve solely around his son.

It's admirable and incredible and Felicity can't help herself.

She's falling in love with father just as she did with the son.

* * *

It's maybe a week after her realization that she's falling for Oliver when Jane catches her arm and tugs her into a corner.

Felicity has been watching the door intently all morning waiting for Connor and Oliver because Oliver had said he had something to ask her the night before.

She's insanely curious as to what it is.

Before Jane can say anything, Felicity sees them walk in, Oliver looking slightly frazzled and Connor with a frown on his face. She tugs her arm from Jane's grip and walks over to greet them.

"Hi guys. How are you?" She asks gently and Connor glares at her.

"Daddy said you guys are going to dinner _without_ me." He tells her grumpily and then stalks off. Felicity stares after him as Oliver chuckles resignedly.

"What?" She says, her eyes swinging back to Oliver's.

Oliver smiles a little sheepishly. "Would you like to go to dinner? I, ah, would like you to myself for a night. Digg's agreed to babysit."

Felicity knows she should probably feel bad about Connor's feeling of exclusion but the thought of having Oliver to herself for a night away from their usual dinners and activities excites her.

"Yes! Yes, I'd love to." Felicity exclaims, grinning widely at him and Oliver stares at her for a moment, his eyes tracing her features and Felicity blushes at her enthusiasm.

"Great. I'll pick you up at seven." He says, his mouth pulling up into a soft smile and she nods.

As Oliver steps over the door, Jane comes back over to her, a sly grin on her face and Felicity glances at her warily, wondering what she's going to say.

"You know, I was going to say that I hope you realize that you're being wooed just as much by the child as the man but I think you already know that. So," Jane pauses and then starts singing. "Oliver and Felicity sitting in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g – "

Felicity blushes bright red and nearly runs away from her co-worker, hoping that none of the children hear Jane.

* * *

Oliver picks her up at seven just as he said and Felicity is pretty sure she's never been on a better date.

Then again, she doesn't think it has anything to do with the restaurant they're at or the wine they're drinking and everything to do with the man she's with.

Oliver makes her laugh, his sense of humor sly and a little dry.

He informs her that Connor is demanding they make up for neglecting him and that he'd had to promise they'd all go for burgers one day soon. He then tells her all his friends want to meet her, only because Connor spends so much time talking about her.

Felicity feels a flutter at meeting his friends, knowing that it means a lot for him to invite her to meet the tight knit circle he's surrounded himself with.

She agrees immediately.

They walk later and Oliver insists on buying her an ice-cream cone only because it's something Connor would insist on if he had been there.

Felicity laughingly agrees and as they walk, they eat and she teases him about his son giving him all the best ideas for wooing women.

Oliver's gaze turns intense at her words and he stops walking.

"Only one woman." He says seriously. "Only you."

Felicity blushes, her stomach swooping with butterflies as Oliver steps closer and with a gentle nudge, tilts her chin up so he can lean down and kiss her.

It's their first kiss and Felicity feels it to her toes.

Her hand lifts to grip at the lapel of her jacket as she sighs into this soft kiss. Felicity feels him smile against her mouth before his hands slide down to grip her hips and pull her closer, his mouth coaxing hers open so he can kiss her more deeply.

When he pulls away, Felicity sways into him a little bit opening her eyes to look at him and he reaches up to tuck a blond strand behind her ear as he smiles down at her.

"You're beautiful," he tells her softly.

Felicity smiles at him, a little dreamily. "Did Connor tell you that?"

Oliver's laugh is surprised and Felicity finds it so incredibly attractive, she has to kiss him again.

So, she does.

* * *

Connor takes his father kissing her in his stride.

Felicity blushes every time Oliver kisses her, particularly when he leans down to kiss her in public but Connor has no objection to it.

Still, Oliver usually keeps it light when he's around and Felicity gets butterflies every time Oliver holds her hand, brushes his lips against hers or runs his hand down her back.

When they're at home and after Connor goes to bed, Felicity finds that making out like high school students is a lot more fun when you're not in high school.

It's heady and romantic and Felicity is happy to make out on the couch with Oliver especially on the nights when the making out turns to cuddling and he wraps himself around her as they talk or watch a movie.

Sometimes, on weekends when Connor doesn't want to go to bed, the three of them cuddle up on the couch and watch one of the many Disney movies Oliver has bought for Connor.

Felicity loves those nights, when Oliver holds her and Connor's head ends up heavy in her lap because he never lasts more than a half hour into the movie.

They are, Felicity reflects pushing a shopping cart after the two of them, turning into a family.

It's wonderful.

* * *

The night she meets Oliver's friends and family is also the first night she stays over.

Oliver holds a barbeque and his family and friends all come over and make no secret of the fact that they're there to check her out and approve of her.

Felicity is inexplicably nervous and Oliver doesn't help because he simply kisses her forehead, tells her everyone will love her and then promptly abandons her in the kitchen. Connor is a little better; he holds the skirt of her sundress and sticks close for the first part of the party.

She doesn't really need that much protection and though it's a bit overwhelming at first, Felicity finds her feet.

Oliver's parents are both kind and clearly love both their son and grandson but they aren't entirely sure what they're supposed to do with either.

They're nice though and it's clear that they're both trying.

Thea is a whirlwind full of snappy comeback and quips. She is both stylish and intimidating and thinks the world of Connor. Who has no compunction in asking her for the toys his father has refused to buy him.

Felicity suggests to Thea that she wait because Oliver's closet is full of the toys Connor wants and will get on his birthday and at Christmas.

Thea comes with her boyfriend, Roy, who seems vaguely uncomfortable with the whole thing and Felicity admires his jawline. Aloud and has Thea falling over with laughter as Roy's cheekbones stain red.

It's Tommy and Diggle who intimidate her the most, though.

Tommy comes with his on-again, off-again partner, Laurel and attempts to ply her with alcohol and ask her inappropriate questions. He has a quick wit and seems unafraid to use it and he turns very serious when he tells her that she means a lot to Connor and Oliver, so she'd better not screw it all up.

Diggle doesn't say a lot. He doesn't really have to, simply gives her a hard look at the very beginning of the night before asking her questions about her courses. He's surprisingly affable and, clearly, cares for Oliver and Connor and the longer she's around him, the more comfortable Felicity feels.

Felicity likes them. She likes them all and she thinks they maybe like her too. Especially when they all seem to have private words with Oliver through out the afternoon that only makes his face light up more and more.

They all leave when Connor passes out in her lap, his face buried in her neck and his breathing deep and even.

As the last car leaves the drive way and she comes down from putting Connor to bed, Oliver catches her around the waist and kisses her.

"Stay with me tonight." He murmurs, kissing her again before she can answer.

Felicity twines her arms around his neck and kisses him back, leisurely exploring his mouth and then pulling away.

"Yes."

* * *

She wakes up early the next morning to Connor's curious face.

"F'licity. What are you doing here?" He asks loudly and she feels Oliver's arm tighten around her waist, indicating that Connor's question has woken him up.

Feeling grateful that she'd put Oliver's shirt back on, she lifts the covers and smiles at him blearily.

"I stayed over. Is that alright?" She asks.

Connor appears to think deeply about it for a second and Felicity wonders, briefly and with panic, if this was when Connor would put the breaks on this.

"Okay." He says, climbing into the bed and snuggling up next to her. "Are you going to be my new mommy?" He asks when he's comfortable and Felicity freezes.

She has no way of answering that without talking to Oliver first and she frantically tries to think of a response when Oliver's voice rumbles over the two of them.

"One day, buddy. She's going to be your mommy officially one day, okay? Daddy has to ask her first though, is that alright?"

Connor doesn't seem to think too hard. "Yes. I love you, F'licity." He says, his words ending on a yawn.

Felicity feels like her heart is about to burst at the simple words from this beautiful little boy because he means it and _that_ means the world.

Connor seems to have no more questions and he snuggles closer to her as Felicity cuddles him tightly. She feels Oliver nuzzle the back of her neck and shivers.

"Love you too, 'Licity." He murmurs sleepily, settling her more tightly against him and pressing a kiss to her hair.

Her stomach swoops at Oliver's words and Felicity, for a moment, feels like this couldn't be her life. Caught between the man she loves and the little boy she adores, she feels emotion bursting through her.

Taking a deep breath, she answers. "I love you. _Both_ of you."

Oliver presses another kiss to her neck.

"Good. Now, go back to sleep."

Felicity closes her eyes at his directive and tightens her hold on Connor even as she slides a hand to grip Oliver's.

Holding onto the two Queens she loves, she gives herself over to sleep.

* * *

One day happens a year and a half later.

It occurs after Felicity has moved in and finished her degree, after Connor calls her 'mommy' for the first time by accident, after Oliver continues wooing her with weekend trips and dinners without Connor.

They marry after Connor walked up to her, with a stranglehold on a thorn-less rose and informed her, with a hint of the serious little boy he was, that Daddy had told him they were going to marry her.

Oliver had come after his son with the ring and the half-smile she adored.

Really, she'd never stood a chance against the two of them.

They marry in Italy.

Oliver had surprised her with a family trip six months after she became his fiancé and was stressed about what she wanted for their wedding. He'd suggested they all needed a break and maybe Italy would give her some inspiration, she'd agreed.

It was there, as they ate gelato in Venice, he'd suggest they marry and she could do nothing but agree. It was perfect because it was simply the three of them and when she married Oliver, there was no-one more she wanted there than Connor.

Connor had been so excited that she was officially going to be his mommy; he'd dropped his gelato.

When they'd returned, it had been easy to throw a party and announce to stunned friends and family that there would be no wedding because they'd eloped. Connor had announced that he'd kept their secret, a feat for a five year old who couldn't lie his way out of eating his vegetables.

Standing in their kitchen, Felicity watches out the window as Oliver tackles Connor to the ground and the little boy shrieks with laughter.

She may have fallen in love with quiet, serious Connor first but she's so glad she fell in love with Oliver last.

**Author's Note:**

> Yay! You made it!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this and you found it as sweet as I did - like, up there with tooth decaying sweetness that's how I felt when I was writing it.
> 
> But, anyway, please, I hope you enjoyed and have forgiven me for the inaccuracies.
> 
> As always, reviews make any authors day, so please leave one!


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